The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-03-09
THE RECORD OF CONGRESS.

nss accomplished nothing IN the way
Of important legislation. The tariff
has not been touched the silver ques.
tion has been left in a worse state, il
anything, than before; the Pacific
Railroad Indebtedness left increasing
under the uncertain provisions of the
old Thurman act; the bankruptcy
laws left to the varying statutes of the
states; the basis for the national bank
circulation still allowed to dwindle
away without anything as a substitute !;
the Supreme Court still three years
hopelessly behind in its cases the in
digent veterans still in the county
poorhouses; the navy still the laugh.
ing stock of the world and the sea.
coast cities still at the mercy of any
foreign power. The Republican Sen
ate has been intelligent and progress.
i've, but the Democratic majority in
the House, divided between bitterly
opposing factions, has stopped short to
let the personal fight 60 on.
The appropriations for public build.
ings aggregate $S,920,OOO, of which
S2,740,000 goes to towns in Northern
States and $1,1S0,O00 to towus in
the South. The committee reported
bills for the following towns in Penn.
sylvania, but failed to get them
through: Scranton, $3.50 900; Allen
town, 100000, Lancaster, 500. 900;
Chester, $4,000; Allegheny CITY,
s250,000, and Wilkesbarre, $3.50 900
The Judiciary Committee made
their greatest triumph in the Mormon
bill, which went through with a hur-
rah after a great speech by Chairman
Tucker. 1t increases the stringency
of the laws against polygamy, provides
for the disestabliehment of the cougre.
CATION known as the Mormon Church,
and besides disfranchising Mormons IN
national matters takes every vestige of
self government away from them.
In naval affairs the proposed legis.
lation was in the direction Of new
ships, new guns and new naval ord
nance. That it was far from success.
ful was due to the opposition of Dem.
ocrats Of the Randall and Holman
stripe; and whatever measure of sue.
cess it reached was the direct result of
hard fighting by the Senate. The bill
as it passed includes two new drydocks
of which PHILADELPHIA may get one,
and an appropriation large enough TO
permit new bids for the Newark. The
Naval Reorganization bill which con.
templated the consolidation of bureaus
IN the Department was talked to death.
The most important work Of the
session was the passage of the Inter
state commerce bill, which, so far as
the House is concerned, took the place
of the measure Mr. Reagan of Texas,
has been reporting from the Commerce
Committee for years. The debate in
the House was only upon the confer.
ence report, and though nearly all the
speeches were against it the votes were
for it, and it passed.
By far the most important piece of
legislation in foreign affairs was the
passage of the Senate bill for the set.
Element of the fishery troubles with
Canada. The House Committee made
an effort for their own measure, which
empowered the stoppage of all trade,
but they we're defeated after a hard
fight. The Senate bill gives the Pres.
ldent power to retaliate by closing the
ports To Canadian products and other
wise Interfering with their trade to
this country.
The Senate SAT in session 224 davs
and the House 251 day. There were
introduced in the House during this
time l4,258 bills and 263 joint resolu
tions, on which over 5000 reports we're
made; being several thousand more
bills and over 1000 more reports than
were made IN the Forty eighth Con.
gress, which had in its turn beaten the
record. In the Senate there we're in.
trOduGed 1857 bills and 118 joint res
olOtins, 90 which 1888 written reports
were made, being upward of 500 more
bills and ovor 400 more reports than
IN the record breaking Forty eighth
Congress. The total number of laws
enacted was approximately 1431, of
which 10Q2 nrininn1nL -